Roasting Tomatoes Is The Secret To The BEST Marinara

When we're talking red sauce, homemade always wins. Don't get me wrong, I reach for the jarred stuff as much as the next girl. But when marinara is the main event, like it is when served simply over pasta, it's worth it to make your own.

Chelsea Lupkin

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Roasting tomatoes makes a restaurant-worthy sauce you previously thought only possible in Little Italy. An hour in the oven makes all the difference. It concentrates the sweetness of the tomatoes. Not surprisingly, it's a tip we picked up from Ina Garten via her vodka sauce recipe. I streamlined the process, skipping the cream and alcohol, shortening the baking time and leaving the sauce slightly chunky—just as I like it. I did follow the Barefoot Contessa's lead in terms of using San Marzano tomatoes. They're naturally sweet and not very acidic. Honestly though, regular plum tomatoes will be just as delicious, thanks to the transforming powers of baking.

Chelsea Lupkin

Make a big pot and do with the sauce as you will. Give me a big bowl of spaghetti, and I'm one very happy girl. But you don't need to stick with noodles. The red sauce would be equally awesome in a lasagna or on a chicken parm sandwich.